Information & Ethics Committee on June 17th, 2009

[Jonathan Lister]

To the first question, I am reasonably confident there's no advertising on our take-down page. We can confirm that.

To the second question, it comes back to Google's respect for privacy. We have many examples where we have leading-edge privacy, such as in Google Latitude, which is a location-based GPS product. We use that data when people consent to give it to us, and because we believe in transparency and choice they can opt out of that product at any time. We do this consistently across our products.

[Earl Dreeshen, Conservative, Red Deer, AB]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

In any event, this is a matter of emerging communications. There will be a lot more input as more and more persons and organizations become more familiar with what you're doing or not doing. I anticipate that the committee will want to continue to monitor this and hear from other witnesses when the House returns.

Colleagues, I have circulated a budget that anticipates a total amount of $15,900 for seven witnesses and for witnesses' expenses. I will entertain a motion for the budget for this study.

Mrs. Block moves approval of the budget.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

Gentlemen, I want to thank you very much on behalf of the committee for providing us with samples and representations on this new technology and starting us on the road of considering the privacy implications. I hope we will be able to draw on your experience and expertise again before we come to any conclusions and maybe make a report on this study.

Thank you.

The meeting is adjourned.